Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of women in the
Japanese workplace. Data obtained from in-depth interviews and
questionnaires, shows that the Japanese workplace is in a state of
change moving toward a higher level of opportunity for female workers.
While similar to the circumstances experienced by Western women, the
changes which Japanese women are experiencing have their own history
and thus are analyzed from a non-Western perspective. Some key
aspects of the analysis include: training, separate positions for men and
women, tasks, and perceptions of gender discrimination.
For men and women who held the same jobs it was found that the
majority of training experiences were gender neutral. This is consistent
with the fact that Japanese companies must make training equal as
mandated by the 1985 Equal Employment Opportunity Law.
In the workplace, however, discrimination has taken the form of
separate positions for men and women. While there were informants
who were both supportive and un-supportive of job separation, it was
clear that this practice resulted in lower salaries and fewer high level
positions for women.
When males and females held the same positions, 17% of women
were given different duties. These duties included serving tea, cleaning,
and hostessing, all of which are tasks generally done by a wife for her
husband. Thus in some instances domestic roles determine tasks
assigned in the workplace.
From the informants' responses a Japanese definition of gender
discrimination was formulated. Culturally, gender discrimination was
noted in terms of treating women differently than men, but also included
improper sexual advances. A full 80% of the study's informants
acknowledged the existence of gender discrimination in the Japanese
workplace.
Finally, from this sample it was determined that cultural
relativism, internal labor market theory, and human capital theory are all
compatible tools for analysis of the Japanese labor market.